Page:Hoffmann's Strange Stories - Hoffman - 1855.djvu/245

 signs were the only proofs that made me hope that I should be loved. The old monkey undoubtedly perceived this, for he pretty clearly gave me to understand that it was not to his taste. I dared to throw myself at his feet and confess my love to him. His answer was a burst of laughter, and he scornfully told me to go back to my barber's shop.

In the delirium of my despair, I proclaimed that I was not a vile reaper of chins, that I had studied surgery with success, and that in painting I followed the style of Annibal Caracci and the inimitable Guido Reni. This simplicity procured for me another attack of mockery; and the old Cerebus pushing me towards the door, tried to throw me down stairs. Reduced to the necessity of using the right of legitimate defence, I tumbled over, with all possible gentleness, the ferocious guardian of Marianna; but from that day his door was closed to me! This was the condition of things when you came to Rome, and heaven inspired the worthy father Bonifazio with the idea of introducing me to you. Since when, thanks to your support, I have taken a place in the Academy of San-Luca; as Rome applauds my efforts, I took courage to go to Capuzzi; I produced on him the effect of a spectre. Profiting by his stupor, I gravely asked him if a surgeon, crowned with the palm of San-Luca, was worthy of aspiring to the hand of Marianna. This name operated upon him like an electric shock. He raved about, he howled like a demon, saying that I was an assassin, that I had stolen his niece from him by copying her features upon canvas; that she was his delight, his life, his heaven; that he would like to burn me, together with my accursed studio and my hateful picture!

The exasperation of the worthy man, who began to cry out, murder, robbers, made me fear some misfortune, and I quickly fled, rage in my heart and death in my soul! The old Capuzzi is madly in love with his niece; he watches her with all the precautions of an atrocious jealousy, and if he obtains 21